themarshallfandomcom-20200214-history
Second Falklands War
The Second Falklands War (French:Deuxième guerre de la Malouines, Spanish: Segunda guerra de las Malvinas) was fought in 1985 between Canada and an Anglo-Argentine alliance over the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic. The war started on the night of 1 April 1985 with the rapid Anglo-Argentine invasion and occupation of the Falklands. The British and Argentines quickly divided the islands among themselves creating "East Falkland" for the British and "Isla Gran Malvina" for the Argentines. Canada launched a naval Task Force to recapture the Islands. After fighting at sea (above, on, and below, the water) the Canadian forces landed on East Falkland and advanced towards the capital Stanley. The war ended on the 15th of June 1985 with the surrender of the Anglo-Argentine garrison. The war was the result of the Cold War dispute between Britain and Canada, and the ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. Although both Britain and Canada are situated in the Northern Hemisphere, fighting was confined to the South Atlantic and the territories under dispute. =Events leading up to the War= The Falkland Islands are subject to several territorial claims. The United Kingdom claims them on the basis of the British community on the Falklands, and unbroken sovereignty between 1833 and 1975. Argentina claims them on the basis of inheritance of the Islands from Imperial Spain. Canada claims the islands on the grounds that the Falklands are rightfully under the sovereignty of Queen Elizabeth II (reigning in Ottawa), and that the Islanders have since 1975 voted to continue Canadian administration of the Falklands. Canada seized the Falkland Islands from Britain during 1975 (see First Falklands War), and defeated British attempts to remove them (The Battle of the 44th Parallel). In international forums, both Britain and Argentina continued to assert their claims on the Falklands. Attempts by the Canadian government to negotiate over the Falklands proved to be politically disastrous in Ottawa. Although the professional diplomats hoped for some type of negotiated accommodation with the UK and Argentina, Canadian politics made it impossible. Crucially, neither Britain nor Argentina ruled out the use of force. The prospect of military attack was not taken seriously by Canada due to the weaknesses of the Argentine armed forces and Britain's membership of the European Community (and, therefore, subordination to Germany). The main industries of the Falklands were agriculture, and fishing. The income of the islands was low. During the early 1980s, exploratory drilling for oil began. The oil companies doing the drilling were conscious of security, and reported to the Canadian Government only. Despite this, the British Government managed to obtain their reports. The reports showed what many has suspected, that the Falklands had oil, potentially massive amounts of oil. While the oil enticed the British, they lacked the means to take the Islands themselves. Britain's defences had been cut substantially during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Britain's Foreign Secretary, Michael Heseltine, devised the solution. At a summit conference of the British, German, and Argentine foreign ministers in mid 1984, Heseltine proposed that Britain and Argentina retake the Falklands in a joint operation, Argentina would then get West Falkland with 50% of the oil revenue, while the British would get East Falkland. South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands would go to Britain. The Germans and Argentines agreed to the plan. Taking the Falklands would provide benefits to Argentina beyond the oil revenue. Argentina had been in the midst of an economic and political crisis. Civil unrest was widespread, and the fascist military junta in Buenos Aires was deeply unpopular with the Argentine population. Argentina in fact had been planning to invade the Falklands since 1975, but it lacked the confidence to put its plans into action. Argentine leader General Leopoldo Galtieri believed that success in the Falklands would unite the people behind the regime. British Prime Minister John Tyndall had similar ideas in respect of his regime. Tyndall also believed that retaking the Falklands would give Britain more influence in the EEC. German Chancellor Erich Honecker wanted to inflict a defeat on the League of Democracies, thereby increasing the prestige of the Axis powers. The Anglo-Argentine plan was to make use of an existing problem, the presence of Argentine scrap metal workers on South Georgia, to provide a crisis. Neither the British nor the Argentines believed that Canada would make any military response to an incident involving the scrap metal workers, and many (especially in Argentina) did not even believe that Canada would militarily oppose an invasion of the Falklands themselves. Perceived Canadian intransigence would give the Argentines the pretext for invasion. The Argentines believed that if could force a Canadian back-down on South Georgia (or at least endure Canada failed to enforce their sovereignty), then Canada would not have an excuse to oppose other Argentine actions. The Anglo-Argentine plan called for invasion of the Falklands in July, the start of the southern winter. The invasion was intended to succeed in a matter of hours. The weather would make a counter-attack impossible for over ten months, by which time Anglo-Argentine domination of the Falklands would be accepted as a fait accompli. In the meantime, preparations were made for war. Britain planned a "South Atlantic exercise" with Argentine. The exercise would involve the Royal Navy and the RAF. Germany made additional quantities of armament available. The military relationship between the UK and Argentina was described as "symbiotic". The British supplied modern aircraft, highly-skilled special forces, and a number of warships. Argentina supplied the bulk of the fighting troops, "second-tier" aircraft, and most importantly, close bases from which operations could be conducted. British local knowledge was not regarded by the Argentines as useful. The Argentine military airline "LADE" ran the only air link to the Falklands, and Argentine gas and scrap metal workers had been on the Islands for some years. To cover their military preparations, the Argentines and British began to call publicly for Canada to negotiate over the Falklands, knowing full well that Canada could not negotiate. While talks went on fruitlessly, with various mediators calling on Ottawa. Attempts to negotiate, under various formulae, all failed due to the strong "Falklands lobby" in the House of Commons in Ottawa. The purpose of these attempted negotiations was not to find a solution, but to provide time and a pretext for invasion. South Georgia contained a disused whaling station. An Argentine entrepreneur gained a contract with the Canadian Government to dismantle the whaling station for its scrap metal value. The scrap workers arrived on South Georgia in an Argentine warship, and the team had been infiltrated by Argentine marines. When the Argentines had raised their national flag, the Governor of the Falkland Islands Territory (the Falkland Islands Territory includes South Georgia) Henry Pybus Bell-Irving, asked Ottawa for assistance in removing them. On 19 March 1985, the leader of the Antarctic Institute of Canada team handed the Argentines an official message demanding the lowering of their flag. HMCS Labrador, a Wave class icebreaker being used as an Antarctic Patrol Ship, had just dropped off a new platoon of Royal Canadian Marines (as part of a routine garrison change). One of the members of the AIC team in South Georgia reported seeing German-made Sturmgewehr rifles with the scrap metal workers. Governor Bell-Irving decided to expel the scrap workers. He detached a squad of his own Marines to augment the HMCS Labrador's own Marine squad, and sent it to South Georgia to remove the scrap metal workers. The Argentine military junta, led by General Galtieri, did not expect any Canadian response, much less the forceful response of sending the Canadian Marines on Labrador. Governor Bell-Irving greatly complicated Argentina's position. The "scrap metal workers", even with arms, could not hope to defeat the Marines. Labrador was even equipped with two CH-118 helicopters (UH-1H Iroquois). These helicopters were intended for supporting antarctic exploration, and were even painted day glo orange, but in emergencies they could be equipped with machine guns and TOW missiles. Labrador herself carried a five-inch gun and two 40mm Bofors. The Galtieri junta was on the verge of collapse. Unless Galtieri could come up with a national and economic success, his regime would collapse. A humiliation in South Georgia would precipitate a political crisis in Argentina, perhaps one from which Galtieri could not recover. Worse still, Canada recently accepted delivery of a number of Los Angeles nuclear attack submarines. MI6 had reported to both the British and Argentine governments that a Canadian nuclear submarine had set sail for the Falklands. Once there, it could effectively counter any Anglo-Argentine move. The British and Argentines now needed to move before the submarine reached the South Atlantic. In the event, the submarine was on a routine deployment. The intelligence of the submarine was in fact a deception operation by CSIS intended to deter an invasion. It had exactly the opposite effect. Anglo-Argentine war policy was to be decided be an ad-hoc council consisting of the Argentine junta and several British figures. The junta included General Leopoldo Galtieri, Admiral Jorge Anaya of the Argentine Navy, and Brigadier Basilio Lami Dozo of the Argentine Air Force. The British members of what was termed the "Falklands/Malvinas Council" were Sir Anthony Williams (British Ambassador to Argentina), Commodore Julian J. Mitchell (Naval Attache to Argentina). The Argentine junta was indecisive enough, but the addition of the British seemed to make matters worse. While Labrador sailed out to South Georgia, the Anglo-Argentine leaders dithered. Under great pressure from the British Ambassador and Admiral Anaya, Galtieri authorised the invasion of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia for the night of 1 April 1985. =Invasion of the Falklands= While the South Georgia crisis went on, and Anglo-Argentine invasion force set sail on 28 March, headed for the Falklands. It consisted of the Argentine destroyer ARA Santísima Trinidad, the British amphibious ship HMS Fearless, and the Argentine submarine ARA Santa Fe. The bulk of the ground troops waited on HMS Fearless. Late on the night of 1 April, ARA Santa Fe deployed SBS frogmen to mark a beach, and maintain covert observation of the beach. Although one Mountie passed the beach at the time, he saw nothing. ARA Santísima Trinidad then deployed naval commandos south of Stanley. They came ashore near Mullet Creek. The landing party numbered 84 men, and were commanded by Commander Guillermo Sánchez-Sabarots. The mission of most of the Argentine troops was to capture Moody Brook Barracks, the base of the Royal Canadian Marines on the Falklands. A smaller party (approximately 30 men under Lieutenant-Commander Pedro Giachino) was sent to Government House to capture the Governor. Hours before the Anglo-Argentine force arrived, Ottawa sent a telex to Governor Bell-Irving telling him that a large Argentine force was approaching, and that he was to "make his dispositions accordingly". With this vague information in hand, Governor Bell-Irving summoned both Marine commanders (Major Mike Norman; the incoming commander, and Major Gérard Deschamps; the outgoing commander) to discuss the situation. Both men took the view that the threat was real, and the invasion would happen soon. Major Norman advocated breaking out of Port Stanley, and carrying out guerrilla operations from "the Camp". Governor Bell-Irving rejected this plan, and activated the Falkland Islands Defence Force. About 50 members of the FIDF reported for duty at the Drill Hall. The FIDF were tasked with defending key installations in Port Stanley, while the Marines would defend Government House. Governor Bell-Irving addressed the Islanders by radio. He informed them of the imminent invasion, and that he may have to declare a state of emergency. There were a number of Argentines on the Falklands working for LADE and on a gas installation. Bell-Irving decided not to arrest them until they were absolutely positive that the Anglo-Argentine alliance was not bluffing. Bell-Irving had to balance the need to intern enemy citizens in wartime with the possibility that internment could provide yet another pretext for invasion. Ottawa's advice was to be as cautious as possible, while keeping the Maple Leaf flying over Stanley. While the invasion force was off the coast, Russian Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze was attempting last ditch diplomacy. Shevardnadze was able finally to get Galtieri to listen to him, only to hear Galtieri reject him in a way that Shevardnadze described in his memoirs as "profoundly undiplomatic". Moscow informed Ottawa of this rejection, and Governor Bell-Irving declared a state of emergency, and took the decisive step of ordering the Police and FIDF to round up every Argentine and Briton in Stanley, and intern them. There were far too many for the police station, so the local pub was chosen as a prison. Only one Argentine was missed, the manager of the LADE office (a Colonel in the Argentine Air Force) Unknown to everyone on the Falkland Islands, the Argentines were already ashore. The first objective for the Argentine naval commandos was Moody Brook Barracks, approximately six miles from . Their attack commenced at 0430 on 2 April. From Government House, Bell-Irving and the Marines heard the firing and explosions as Moody Brook Barracks was attacked. After the war, the Argentines said they had attacked with tear gas only, but Marines who had returned to the barracks the next day (before being flown out) found hundreds of bullet holes, and signs of white phosphorous burns. The barracks were empty (though most of the lights were left on, as a basic deception tactic), as the Marines had been stood to, and were concentrated at Government House. The group of Argentine naval commandos assigned to government house were split into two groups. The larger group took position on a hillock overlooking Government House, while the smaller was assigned to enter Government House and arrest Governor Bell-Irving. As the barracks were being destroyed, the Argentine naval commandos approached the back of Government House. The Canadian Marines covering the back saw movement. When the identified the movement as human, they opened fire. One Argentine Petty Officer took five rounds to the chest and died instantly, Commander Giachino took two rounds and went to the ground with abdominal wounds. The other men near Government House quickly dived for cover (three taking position in a servant's cottage). The Argentines on the hillock began to fire into Government House, directing their fire at any windows they could see. Amazingly, there were lights on inside Government House, providing easy targets for Argentine riflemen. These lights were quickly switched off. The Marines in and around the house fired at any movement or muzzle flash. At this point the Canadian Marines outnumbered the Argentine naval commandos around Government House two to one, though the Canadians did not know this. The Argentines however managed to surmise it. They decided to fire and move as much as possible to create the illusion of a larger force. Sporadic firing continued until dawn. Shortly before dawn, a group of Marines stationed at Yorke Bay spotted amphibious armoured personnel carriers and light tanks (French-made AMX-10P) approaching the shore. They fired a few round, and then fled on trail bikes. They reported by radio that the APCs were on the way. Near a research station, the Argentine column were attacked with anti-tank weapons. Salvos of M72 rockets and 90mm recoilless rifle took out one AMX-10 PAC 90 light tank and two AMX-10P Marine armoured personnel carriers. There were 26 Argentines in the stricken vehicles, all were killed. With at least 27 dead, some of the Argentines wanted to surrender, but the Argentine commander, Rear Admiral Carlos Bussar, ordered the continuation of the operation. Shortly before, Governor Bell-Irving ordered the FIDF to retreat to the Drill Hall. They now heard the approach of Argentine troops. Bell-Irving ordered them to return home (leaving their weapons behind), and to hide or burn their uniforms. He thanked them for their work that night. The Canadians were beginning to run out of ammunition, and with a squadron of armoured personnel carriers heading towards Stanley, this fight could not go on. Major Norman recommended making the break out immediately, while they still could. Governor Bell-Irving however decided that it was time to end the fighting. He broadcast an appeal over the Falkland Island Broadcasting Service radio for the Argentine forces to meet for a truce. The LADE executive on the Falklands who had hitherto managed to evade detection made it to Government House, and offered to mediate. At a meeting in his office, Governor Bell-Irving refused to shake Admiral Bussar's hand. After a brief exchange of words, in which each man justified his position, Bell-Irving agreed to order his troops to lay down their arms. Bussar agreed to fly Bell-Irving, his family, the Marines, and any Islander who wanted to leave, to Uruguay for repatriation to Canada. Bussar also agreed to permit a farewell broadcast. Governor Bell-Irving was then driven to the Airport wearing his Governor's uniform, with the Maple Leaf flying from his car. At 0730 on 2 April 1985, the Canadian flag was lowered at Port Stanley, and the Argentine forces broadcast their message of "Welcome" to the people of the "Malvinas". Argentine Army officer General Mario Menendez was sworn in as Governor of the Malvinas. In Buenos Aires, the "Falklands/Malvinas Settlement Treaty" was signed by the Sir Anthony Williams for Britain and General Galtieri for Argentina. The British renounced their claim on West Falkland and recongised the Argentine claim for Isla Gran Malvina (as the Argentines called West Falkland), while the Argentines renounced their claim on Isla Soledad (the Argentine name for East Falkland), and recognised the British claim to East Falkland. The treaty included a clause requiring Britain and Argentina to defend each other's claims in the Falklands against any third party. In Port Stanley, Sir Roger Markham, a dedicated Fascist, was installed as Governor of East Falkland. Menendez had his title changed to "Governor of Isla Gran Malvina". He was also appointed (by mutual consent) as "Commander of the Malvinas Command" and set himself up at Moody Brook Barracks. Due to warlike situation, Menendez was the de facto ruler of the entire Falklands archipelago. Most of the Argentine naval commandos and Marines were pulled out, and an Army garrison was stationed on the Falklands consisting of one Argentine battalion on West Falkland, and one British battalion and one Argentine battalion on East Falkland. The Anglo-Argentine command did not anticipate any Canadian military response, nevertheless, they made some defence preparations. =Invasion of South Georgia= HMCS Labrador was steaming out to South Georgia, when word came of the imminent Argentine invasion. Labrador had been playing a game of "cat-and-mouse" with an Argentine icebreaker, until they had lost track of each other. On 2 April 1985, the Argentine icebreaker landed an Argentine Marine unit on South Georgia, and informed the Canadian scientists that they were taking over the island. The Canadian scientists informed them that there was a military presence on South Georgia. The Captain of HMCS Labrador (who now had overall command in the region, since the surrender of Governor Bell-Irving earlier that morning) ordered the Canadian Marine detachment on South Georgia not to fight "beyond the point where lives might be lost to no avail.". Poor weather forced the Argentines to pull out later that day. Their commander decided to go in tomorrow (weather permitting) with a larger force. On the morning of the third, the Argentines demanded the surrender of South Georgia on the grounds that Governor Bell-Irving had surrendered the Falklands and its dependencies. This was untrue, the surrender applied only to the Falklands. The Marines on South Georgia said they would have to forward the message to their mother ship, Labrador. While this was done, the scientists were invited to take cover, while Lieutenant Keith Miller, RCM, prepared to disobey his orders. At 0800, the Argentine frigate ARA Guerrico was steaming into Grytviken Harbour. Its helicopter was to fly over Grytviken to check for the presence of the Canadian Marines. After 1130, the Argentines decided to land, and an Argentine squad boarded a Puma on the icebreaker to fly into Grytviken. As soon as the Puma came close enough, the Canadians fired on it. The pilot was able to crash land on the southern side of the bay, but two were killed and four wounded. The ARA Guerrico then made its second move into the harbour. The Canadian Marines, emboldened by their initial exploit, decided to trump themselves by engaging the Guerrico. They had rifles, machine guns, a recoilless rifle, and a sniper rifle. Amazingly, some Argentines were still exposed on the upper decks of the ship. LT Mill's first shot was a sniper rifle shot at the bridge. A recoilless rifle shot then knocked out the 10 cm gun, an Exocet launcher, and machine gun fire prevent manning of the 3.7 cm Flak M43 deck gun. The Guerrico suffered three dead, and five wounded from small arms fire by infantry. When a recoilless rifle shot hit the waterline and started minor flooding, the Guerrico's captain decided to retreat (lest he be the first man to lose a ship to small arms fire). Mills and his men were running out ammunition, and another wave of Argentines had landed from a second Puma. When this group of Argentines engaged Mills and his men, Guerrico returned firing its 3.7 cm gun. This convinced Mills that he had finally been beaten. Like the Canadians Marines on the Falklands, Mills and his men were returned to Canada via Uruguay. LT Mills and Sergeant Leach received the Star of Military Valour for their actions that day. The Captain of the Labrador was made an Officer of the Order of Military Merit. =Initial Canadian response= News of the invasion of the Falklands reached Ottawa shortly after the event. It appears that amateur radio was the first means by which Canada learned of the invasion. The relatively new government of Brian Mulroney. The Cabinet decided that it had to get the Falkland Islands back, either by diplomacy or by force. The Cabinet decided to call on Argentina to withdraw as a precondition to any negotiations, and it further decided to send a Task Force to the Falklands in order to "support diplomatic efforts". The military response was to be primarily the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Navy. It had been preparing for large scale exercises in the Atlantic with the US Navy, and it was easy to switch those preparations from training to war. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral James C. Wood, advised the government that he could go in four days. The Mulroney government formed an ad-hoc War Cabinet. It consisted of the following people: *Prime Minister Brian Mulroney *Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Joe Clark *Minister of National Defence Erik Neilsen *Attorney General John Crosbie *Solicitor General Elmer MacKay *Minister of Finance Michael Wilson *Chief of the Defence Staff Maréchal en chef de l'air Sir Gérard Thériault The largest stumbling block to liberating the Falklands was air superiority. The Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina or FAA) had approximately 200 modern combat aircraft. Their primary fighters were the Messerschmitt Me 563 with a small number of the Messerschmitt Me 609. For attack, they used the Dassault Étendard (a French naval aircraft, also used by the Argentine Navy) and the Messerschmitt Me 565 F. All were thought to be more than a match for the CF-156 Wraith naval STOVL strike fighter. To make matters worse, the British had stationed RAF units in Argentina. These included two squadrons of Buccaneer S.2 aircraft. The Buccaneers were equipped with the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile. The British also stationed a squadron of Tornado F.2 interceptors in Argentina. The Argentine Navy also received a small number of French Super Étendard aircraft with Exocet missiles. Against this formidable force, Canada could only field 50 CF-156 fighters. Canada's only perceived advantage was the CH-124E Sea King airborne early warning helicopters. The Mulroney government had to weigh the threat from the Anglo-Argentine forces against the consequences of doing nothing. Time was limited, the war had to be finished before the southern winter. Maréchal de l'air Thériault and Admiral Wood were of the same view about the military options. They advised Mulroney they he had two options: one, do nothing; two, send a large fleet to support diplomatic efforts, or to retake the Falklands by force. Admiral Wood was clear that this would require sending essentially all of Canada's Atlantic-based navy, aircraft carriers, submarines, amphibious ships, surface escorts, and auxiliaries. Maréchal de l'air Thériault also advised the government that the RCAF would have to provide support. First, extensive logistical support for the force, requiring RCAF Ascension Island, and possibly bombers to attack Anglo-Argentine positions on the Falklands, and perhaps even on mainland Argentina itself. Mulroney did not want to go to war with Argentina, but he and the Cabinet recognised that something had to be done. The War Cabinet approved the dispatch of a Task Force, which would sail as soon as possible. Mulroney on 3 April 1985 that the invasion had taken place, and that Canada would seek the withdrawal of all Anglo-Argentine forces as soon as possible. Mulroney announced that he was sending in the fleet. "The Government have now decided that a large task force will sail as soon as all preparations are complete. HMCS "Bonaventure" will be in the lead and will leave port on Friday." Hansard, 33rd Parliament, 3 April 1985 =Third-country responses= The League of Democracies loudly condemned Argentina and Britain. Australia and New Zealand offered full support to Canada. The RAAF sent transport and tanker aircraft to Canada in order to allow Ottawa to maintain existing continental defence commitments while sending forces south. Some of Australia's FV-16 Wraith naval fighters were in the US at the time for pre-delivery training. Australia gave twelve Wraith aircraft to Canada for the duration of the war. All were returned after the war, but Canada had to provide two out of its own inventory to make good losses. The United States took a less emphatic position. Reagan hoped that diplomacy could solve the crisis, nevertheless, Reagan privately assured Mulroney of full support, and publicly condemned Argentina. The EEC fully supported Argentina and Britain. German Chancellor Honecker Germany was concerned that the US should not be dragged in, but he warmly approved of\ the opportunity to humiliate the democracies. The EEC promised to provide whatever armament was necessary, however the Kriegsmarine did have all of its ships in the Atlantic moved north of the Equator. Response outside the EEC and LoD was more complex. Brazil adhered to its neutrality. Turkey supported the Canadian position, as did Mexico. Shortly after the invasion, the Canadian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs met with the Chilean Ambassador to Canada. Canada had been hostile to the fascist regime of Chilean General Augusto Pinochet, however the Canadians saw their self-interest at heart. Chile and Argentina had several territorial disputes, and the Canadians pointed out (not unreasonably) that if Argentina could solve one territorial problem by force, then it would have little compunction about solving more territorial problems by force, and that Falklands oil would make it difficult for Germany to support Chile. In exchange for Canadian trade credits, the government of Chile promised to help Canada. Although Russia had tried at first to act as an honest broker between Argentina, Britain, and Canada, Galtieri's rejection of Moscow's overtures convinced the government that Buenos Aires could not be negotiated directly. However, Shevardnadze believed that Berlin could be used as an intermediary. He gained the government's approval to fly to Berlin and begin discussions with Honecker about securing German support for a mediated end for the conflict, although, as he confessed years later, "I had no illusions about my trip." But the government's official neutrality did not prevent them from offering help to the Canadians. Not long after Stanley fell, the Russian Ambassador in Ottawa had a private drink with Prime Minister Mulroney. The ambassador remarked that, although Russia was not formally part of the LoD, it was nevertheless tied to the Commonwealth by a 1958 treaty that promised, at the least, "consultation" in the event of third-party aggression (e.g., any power aligned with Germany). Additionally, Emperor Vladimir was married to Maria Georgievna, the former Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth's sister. The Emperor, according to the ambassador, took "very seriously" his ties to the Canadian royal family, and was eager to assist in the present war. Mulroney refused Russia's offer of an expeditionary force to avoid escalation, but did accept the naval attaché's suggestion of sending the Pacific Fleet to Vancouver. The Russian fleet's transfer to Vancouver allowed it to take over the RCN's duties in the Pacific and, by consequence, freed up Canadian ships to head south. The Russians continued to try the diplomatic route. As the Task Force sailed south, Shevardnadze tried shuttle diplomacy between Ottawa, London, and Buenos Aires. Canada's position was simple: Argentina and Britain had to withdraw from the Falklands at once. Only after that, would Canada negotiate the status of the Falklands. In Canada itself, some of the political obstacles to talks were moved aside by the fact that blood had already been spilled and that a lot more could be spilled soon. Britain and Argentina wanted direct concessions before withdrawing. Shevardnadze found dealing all parties frustrating. The Canadians would, according to him "shout and bluster about their values. At times I thought Mulroney would insist that I kiss his ring.". In London, he would find that the British Foreign Office would start a concession by saying "in consultation with our Argentine allies", and shortly thereafter, the British would announce that the Argentines had vetoed whatever the British proposed. Prime Minister Tyndall only saw Shevardnadze once to berate him about being an "American lackey". In Buenos Aires, things were worse. The junta rarely rejected anything, because (as one Russian diplomat said "that would require them to make a decision"). Galtieri and Costa Mendes would invariably refer anything difficult to the service councils that stood behind the junta as a parliament stands behind a cabinet. The hard-liners would reject anything that even look like being less than all Argentina wanted. Some of the more hot-headed Argentines even talked about evicting the British from East Falkland. On other occasions, Mendes would assure Shevardnadze of an agreement, which would then be reversed, often before Shevardnadze left Argentine air space. Russia, the US, and Canada were coming to the conclusion that negotiations by the British and Argentines were merely a delaying tactic. The US began to provide Canada with new weapons and equipment. War was now regarded as inevitable. At the end of April, Canada had declared an Total Exclusion Zone around the Falklands. =The Task Force sails= Within a few days of the invasion, the Royal Canadian Navy was abuzz with activity. Both the RCN Dockyard Georgetown and the HMCS Shearwater naval air station saw a higher rate of activity than at any time since 1945. Canada had taken Ascension Island in 1976, which would now be used as the staging point for the Task Force. Command of the Task Force was given to Rear Admiral Charles M. Thomas, who was also Commander, Canadian Atlantic Fleet. He was to control operations from National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. The commander on the scene in the South Atlantic was Rear Admiral Alain Moreau. Separate to the Task Force was a submarine squadron, which was commanded by Commodore William Hardwood (Flag Officer Submarines). The Task Force was to be much larger than the force assembled for the First Falklands War because the nature of the enemy was greatly different, and Canada was now in the position of having to possibly wrest the Falklands from an aggressor. The Task Force would therefore consist of virtually all of Canada's Atlantic Fleet. Canada's Pacific Fleet would also add to the Task Force. The Imperial Russian Navy would take over operations in the Pacific, while the US Navy took up the slack in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The Task Force and submarine squadron consisted of the following ships: *Two Bonaventure class aircraft carriers *Three Province class cruisers (Belknap class) *Five Sherbrooke class destroyers *Four Annapolis class destroyers (Charles F. Adams class http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110722104841/themarshall/images/b/b0/CADDGAnnapolis.PNG) *Eight Iroquois class frigates *Ten Mackenzie class frigates (Knox class http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/themarshall/images/8/85/CAFFMackenzie.PNG) *HMCS Vimy Ridge (Iwo Jima class landing port helicopter http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/themarshall/images/b/b0/CALPHVimyRidge.png) *Two El Alamein class landing port docks (Austin class) *Five Abbotsford class landing ships tank (Newport class) *Four Protecteur class replenishment oilers *Two Provider class replenishment oilers *Four Bay class minesweepers *Three Olympus class submarines (Barbel class http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/themarshall/images/3/30/CASSKOlympus.PNG) *Three Victoria class nuclear submarines (Los Angeles class http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110722103946/themarshall/images/d/dc/CASSNVictoria.png While the surface fleet and submarines scrambled to get underway, the Royal Canadian Naval Air Branch was busily trying to get every available RCN aircraft ready for action. As the CF-156B conversion trainer is combat capable, the Navy decreed that all but a core force of ten should go. The Task Force had concerns about amphibious lift, so eight CH-124 Sea Kings at United Aircraft Canada undergoing avoinics upgrade were hastily pulled out of the production line, stripped of their remaining anti-submarine avionics, and fitted with troop seats to act as transport helicopters. Army helicopters too were thrust into the mix, including the five only CH-145E Super Stallions in Canada (CH-145E is the Canadian designation for the CH-53E). The Canadians had one piece of good fortune. Since the departure of the CE-121 Tracer airborne early warning aircraft (these had been retired with the Essex class carriers), the RCN had wanted a new AEW aircraft. Canadair had been working on a conversion of the CH-124 Sea King, and had three pre-production aircraft ready by the time of the invasion of Falklands. These were rushed into service, two for HMCS Bonaventure and one for HMCS Warrior. The Task Force would include substantial ground forces including the 9th Canadian Commando Brigade Group. The Brigade Group contained the three Commando Battalions of the Royal Canadian Marines, together with Army support units such as the 6th Commando Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. Major Mike Norman and his Falkland Islands Garrison eagerly joined the Brigade. The Commandos are part of Canada's Rapid Deployment Forces, and could be activated quickly. The commander of the 9th Canadian Commando Brigade group was Brigadier General Francis Muller, and the overall ground force commander was Major General Kevin Thompson of the Royal Canadian Marines. The Commando Brigade was outnumbered four to one by the Anglo-Argentine ground forces. Although Canada had enough troops to outnumber the Anglo-Argentine garrison, there was not enough amphibious lift. Two battalions of the Canadian Airborne Regiment were added to the Commando Brigade. This was still not enough for the generals, so another Brigade was prepared for war. This was the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade Group. The 6th Brigade was a light-role brigade consisting of the 3e Bataillon, Royal 22e Régiment; 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment; and the 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Canadian Guards. The two brigades were accompanied by batteries of the untested C7 howitzer. Apart from the Amtraks and Dynatracs that were the Marine's normal vehicle, a squadron of Lynx armoured vehicles from Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians). To help defend the ground forces against air attack, the Army brought a Light Air Defence Battery with two Troops of MIM-72 Chaparral missiles and two troops of M167 VADS 20mm cannon. A Special Forces Detachment accompanied the Task Force. In addition to the military resources, Canada mobilised its merchant fleet. The most prominent merchant ship in the Task Force were the Canadian Pacific ocean liner ''Empress of Australia. The latter was a 70,000 ton liner, the largest ever operated in Canada. It normally carried 1900 passengers with a ship and hospitality crew of 1000. For the war, it was given helicopter pads, hard coverings for the carpets, and many of her spaces were converted to dormitories. Cabins were given extra bunks, and fuel lines were installed for refueling underway. In her war configuration, she could carry 3000 troops, with a volunteer crew of 650. Other merchant ships in the Task Force included tankers, container vessels, general cargo ships, and a heavy lift ship used to carry minesweepers. The plan was that the Task Force would converge on Ascension Island to reorganise, before heading south. The Task Force would go in two groups. The first group was the battle group, consisting of two aircraft carriers and many of the escorts. By mid-April, the RCAF had upgraded the dilapidated Wideawake Airfield into something resembling a modern air base. The nuclear submarines arrived on the 14th of April to enforce the Maritime Exclusion Zone ordered by the Government two days before. The Task Force arrived at Ascension on 15 April. On Ascension, the ground troops checked and maintained their weapons, and fired thousands of rounds of training ammunition. In the meantime, the naval and merchant ships dealt with one of the side-effects of sending the Task Force quickly. The merchant ships had been loaded in accordance with the safety regulations of the Canadian Department of Transport. The naval and merchant ships, with the aid of helicopters, carried out a massive cross decking operation, moving and sorting cargoes in order to arrange them the way the military wanted them. US Air Force transports, and contract aircraft from Air Canada arrived at RCAF Ascension Island with specialist troops, and extra stores. Included were the latest anti-radar missile, the AGM-88 HARM, additional Stinger surface to air missiles, and AIM-9L Sidewinder and AIM-7M Sparrow missiles. Additional laser guided bomb kits were delivered, along with Pave Spike designators and hand-held units for ground troops. The RCAF and Canadair rapidly developed a rudimentary flight refueling capability for the CP-140 Aurora. CC-135 and CC-137 tanker transports were deployed to Ascension, along with CP-140 maritime aircraft, and CB-111H bombers. The US secretly delivered a batch of air-launched AGM-109 Tomahawk missiles. On the 20th of April (incidentally, Hitler's birthday) the Task Force was formally ordered to retake the Falklands. They proceeded South to do just that. ="The Occupation"= Formally, the Falklands were split after the surrender of the Canadian forces on the Islands into the British East Falkland and the Argentine Isla Gran Malvina. The East was to be governed by the dedicated British Fascist Sir Roger Markham while Isla Gran Malvina was under the military rule of General Mario Menendez. When the Canadian Government announced that it was sending a task force, Markham became governor in name only, with General Menendez in real control. Menendez was appointed Commander of the Malvinas Command, with orders to resist and defeat any Canadian attempt to retake the Falklands. He would command only the Anglo-Argentine forces on the Islands themselves. Naval assets, and aircraft operating from the mainland would be controlled from Buenos Aires. Menendez had three Argentine Army infantry brigades, one battalion of Argentine Marines, and one British Army infantry brigade. The British flew out their own National Police Force to replace the Falkland Islands Police. Apart from forty ordinary police officers, there were eight "detectives" from the NPF Special Branch (Britain's secret police). Governor Markham was able to exercise power over the Islanders provided it did not interfere with military considerations. He ordered the school in Port Stanley to teach an official Fascist curriculum, seized all portraits of the Queen of Canada, distributed portraits of John Tyndall and King James III, banned 'O Canada' and the maple leaf flag. Markham had the Falkland Islands Government, the former police force, and the FIDF deported to Argentina. Markham had wanted them sent to the UK, but the Argentines refused in order not to inflame world opinion (any more). The Falkland Islands' teachers refused to teach Fascism, Markham closed the school. Relations between Menendez and Markham were cool at the best of times. Menendez did not want to alienate the Islanders, yet that was exactly what Markham was doing. Menendez made numerous complaints to Galtieri about Markham, yet they were never pursued with London or with the British Ambassador in Buenos Aires. The resentment of the Islanders to their occupiers had an effect on morale among the soldiers. =Recapture of South Georgia= The War Cabinet had decided to recapture South Georgia before moving on to the Falklands. This decision was widely criticised because the recapture of South Georgia was regarded as unnecessary, however the strategy of the Mulroney Government was to escalate in steps. At each step, Britain and Argentina would be given the chance to leave the Falklands before the full weight of the Canadian task force was directed against them. Afterwards, Mulroney said that the retaking of South Georgia was "another tightening of the screws." A small force was assembled which included the RCM Arctic Warfare Cadre (a company), and a Special Forces A Detachment (platoon-sized unit). They embarked on one of the Provider class oilers, which was accompanied by the Mackenzie class frigate HMCS Saskatchewan and the Iroquois class frigate HMCS Iroquois. The Special Forces commander proposed a reconnaissance on the Fortuna Glacier, but this was vetoed by the commander of the South Georgia operation on the advice of the commander of the Arctic Warfare Cadre (who was the only man present who had actually been to South Georgia. The group was joined by HMCS Labrador which reported that a submarine was in the area. It was believed to be the ARA Santa Fe, an upgraded Type XXI U-boat. Labrador, Inoquois, and Saskatchewan began a search for the submarine. Fortunately, Iroquois had two CH-124 Sea Kings and Saskatchewan had a CH-151 Sea Sprite. On 20 April, the Santa Fe was spotted on the surface heading away from South Georgia. She had been delivering supplies to the garrison. The CH-124 that spotted her dropped a torpedo which damaged her. The Sea Sprite from Saskatchewan was vectored in, and strafed Santa Fe with its fifty caliber machine gun (Santa Fe's original German Flak guns were removed before sale to Argentina). Finally, Labrador's CH-118 fired a TOW missile at Santa Fe, which hit the conning tower. Unable to submerge, the Santa Fe beached itself on South Georgia and the crew fled ashore. Labrador, Inoquois, and Saskatchewan followed Santa Fe into Grytviken Harbour. The Canadian commander was reluctant to make an opposed landing due to the lack of support. He decided to ask the Anglo-Argentine garrison to surrender. On South Georgia was a company of Royal Marines a platoon of Argentine special forces, and of course the crew of Santa Fe. Labrador and Saskatchewan started shelling Grytviken near the supposed position of the Anglo-Argentine troops. The Canadian commander then radioed the garrison and asked them to surrender. They accepted. The Canadian force of 150 ground troops took over 250 prisoners. In Ottawa, the news was greeted with joy and relief. The recapture of South Georgia was the first good news Canada had in the Second Falklands War. There were no fatalities, and all of the prisoners were returned to Argentina and Britain via Uruguay. The British government prevented any reporting of the defeat in the official press, however Radio Free Europe did give Europeans the news of the recapture of South Georgia. In Argentina, the news was also suppressed. Some figures in the junta began to have doubts about the venture they entered into with the British, but they could not make an effective decision to do anything except procrastinate. The recapture of South Georgia was a key point in the Falklands campaign. It came near the end of the diplomatic process. The Mulroney government believed that retaking South Georgia would be another turn of the diplomatic screws on Britain and Argentina. In fact, British resolve was hardened by the recapture of South Georgia. =The Air-Naval Battle= As mentioned above, the Canadian government declared a Total Exclusion Zone around the Falklands on the 30th of April. Any non-Canadian aircraft or vessel in that zone was liable to attack without warning by Canadian forces. On that day, the Canadian task force entered the zone to enforce it. The start of Canadian military operations on the Falklands came on the 1st of May. The Falklands had one paved runway, which was at Port Stanley. The Royal Canadian Navy feared that Port Stanley Airport's runway could be extended to take fast jets. Admiral Moreau wanted the runway disabled before the Task Force sailed close enough to be attacked by British and Argentine aircraft from Port Stanley. The means available was the detachment of CF-111H strategic bombers at Ascension Island. The Chief of the Air Staff advised against using the RCAF to bomb Port Stanley Airport. The CF-111H strategic bomber did not carry a laser designator (unlike the tactical CF-111C), and there were no troops on the Falklands to illuminate a target. This would mean using unguided bombs, with the attendant potential for inaccuracy. In the days prior to GPS, inertial navigation was used, and small errors on Ascension would become large errors on the Falklands. Local air defences were unknown, but were thought to include several batteries of anti-aircraft artillery and Roland missiles. Apart from that, getting two bombers down to the Falklands and back would require most of the CC-135 tankers Canada had deployed. The Navy however advised the government that this would be yet another "tightening of the screws". Ottawa ordered the bombing. Although HQ RCAF had misgivings, the CF-111H crews were confident in themselves and their aircraft. The raiding force flew to the Falklands without incident, refueling five times on the way down. Four CF-111H aircraft required ten tankers to make the trip. This was due to the fact that some of the refueling points were so far from Ascension that the tankers themselves required refueling. The force dropped sixteen 1000 lb bombs on the airport, and did minor damage. The runway could not be extended for fast jets, however it was still long enough for C-160 Transall transport aircraft, and Pucara attack aircraft. The Junta reported that the attack had caused no damage at all. This irritated General Menendez on the Falklands as he believed that the Canadians would come back if their first raid had failed. Menendez had his men place rings of earth on the runway. The next day, US reconnaissance satellites duly reported extensive damage to the runway. Shortly after the CF-111H bombers had finished their raid, the Canadian commander Admiral Alain Moreau advised Menendez that the bombing was just the start, and that he should surrender now. Menendez refused to surrender. His naval liaison officer told him that the Task Force would soon be attacked. The Anglo-Argentine fleet planned a three-pronged attack on the Canadian task force. From the north east, HMS Invincible with the Type 42 destroyers Sheffield and Coventry and the frigate Broadsword were to attack with Harrier fighter-bombers. From the north west, the Argentine carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo with the destroyers Hercules and Santisima Trinidad would attack with their Etendard strike aircraft. From the south, the cruiser ARA General Belgrano with the two Type 12 frigates Bouchard and Piedra Buena would attack with Exocet missiles and gunfire. ARA General Belgrano had previously been the German cruiser Nürnberg. On HMCS Bonaventure and in Ottawa, concern mounted about the pincer attack that was developing. Fortunately, the submarine HMCS Corner Brook was in "contact" with ARA General Belgrano, and HMCS Windsor was tracking HMS Invincible. Admiral Moreau had no doubt about what should be done, they should be sunk at once. The War Cabinet was not so sure. Sinking two large warships would be a major escalation of the conflict. The military advised Mulroney that time was limited, Belgrano could turn into an area of shallow water. The water would be too shallow for HMCS Corner Brook to operate. The War Cabinet decided to sink both Invincible and Belgrano. Both submarines attacked within hours of the War Cabinet's decision. Corner Brook fired two Mark 48 torpedos at Belgrano. Both detonated simultaneously beneath Belgrano's keel. The old German light cruiser was cut in two, and sank rapidly. Most of the crew managed to get into the water, however Belgrano's escorts both fled immediately. One hundred and fifty Argentine sailors failed to leave the ship in time. Over three hundred Argentine sailors died in the freezing water. Less than two hundred were rescued four days later. Windsor launched four torpedos at Invincible. Three detonated under her hull, causing massive buckling and tearing in her hull. The British carrier was at a higher state of readiness than the Argentine cruiser, however most of her watertight compartments were now open to the sea. Only one hundred British sailors died on Invincible, and Sheffield, Coventry, and Broadsword remained to collect survivors. The first action by the escorts was, however, to launch their Lynx helicopters. Windsor left the area at speed, diving deeply. The British helicopters gave up the chase after three hours, collected what survivors they could and made for Argentina. Most of the survivors from both ships were rescued by Argentine and Chilean ships. The sinkings provoked outrage in Argentina and Britain. The German government privately told the British that the Falklands conflict would have to remain confined to the South Atlantic, and that Britain could not declare general war on Canada. Canada since the mid 1960s had its own nuclear capability, and it was more than likely that Canada would be supported by the United States. The Argentine Navy and Royal Navy South Atlantic Squadron returned to their bases in Argentina as quickly as possible, and the Argentine carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo put its aircraft ashore. The Argentine Navy, which had agitated for the invasion of the Falklands and carried it out, was now out of the war. In Britain, Prime Minister Tyndall demanded revenge. 617 Squadron, an RAF Buccaneer unit, was ordered to attack the Canadian fleet. On the 3rd of May, they sent eight aircraft armed with two Sea Eagle missiles each. The other six aircraft in the squadron were used as tankers for the raid. Canadian airborne early warning helicopters failed to spot the raid due to the fact that the British flew only a few feet above the waves. The Canadian fleet had arranged itself in a wedge formation, with the destroyers at "base" of the wedge and the carriers at the "apex". The low altitude of the Buccaneers limited their radar range against ships to 30 miles. HMCS Sherbrooke and the Buccaneers spotted each other at the same time. The Buccaneers rose to 200 feet to fire their Sea Eagles (any lower, and their missiles would have crashed into the sea before their engines started). At that altitude, Sherbrooke was able to lock on. Sherbrooke fired first, launching three RIM-66E Standard Missiles at the attackers. One found its mark before the Buccaneer could fire, one hit a Buccaneer after it fired, the third fell into the sea chasing a Buccaneer which had fired, and then turned for home. Incredibly, Sherbrooke managed to shoot down two Sea Eagles with Standards, but that left eight missiles homing in on the Canadian destroyer. Sherbrooke's Phalanx managed to shoot down two more missiles. One missile failed to start its engine, one flew off course, and four hit HMCS Sherbrooke. One hit the hangar, destroying her CH-151 Sea Sprite helicopters. One hit the bow, and one hit midships. The fourth missile hit the superstructure and failed to detonate. Instead started a large fire with its unspent fuel and inflammable materials in the ship. The crew abandoned ship, and Sherbrooke went down in three hours. Ottawa decided to take action to remove the Buccaneers. US reconnaissance satellites had pinpointed the Buccaneer base in Argentina. The RAF was using the Rio Grande Military Airport in Tierra del Fuego. Ottawa decided on a cruise missile strike. On the 5th of May, a flight of four CF-111H's set off from RCAF Ascension Island, bound for Rio Grande. Each carried four American-supplied Tomahawk cruise missiles. With considerable help from the tanker force, they reached their launch points and fired their missiles. Some of the Tomahawks rained submunitions on the flight line, others struck hangars with high explosive warheads. The runway, taxiways, and aprons were mined, and the control tower demolished. Submunitions were strewn over the base fuel farm, causing large fires and one massive explosion from a half empty tank. The raid destroyed twenty Buccaneers outright, and damaged most of the others. With insufficient spares and the airfield now a minefield, the RAF's strike aircraft were out of the war. This raid also kept the British Tornado interceptors out of the war, they now had to remain in Argentina for air defence, beside most of the FAA's Messerschmitt Me 563 fighters. The Reagan Administration now feared further escalation of the war. US Secretary of State Al Haig told Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney that he feared further escalation, and said it may even lead to World War III. The Canadian Government agreed to no more attacks on the mainland, but insisted that the agreement be kept secret. Mulroney said that if it came out, he would bomb Argentine military headquarters in Buenos Aires. Through the Peruvian Government, Haig made one last attempt at mediation. The last attempt to obtain a peaceful settlement lasted two weeks, and it failed spectacularly. Argentina wanted joint sovereignty over West Falkland, Britain wanted joint sovereignty over East Falkland and for the Canadian Parliament to consider repealing Succession to the Throne Act 1937 (the Act was Canada's consent to the abdication of Edward VIII, repealing it would effectively oust Queen Elizabeth II of Canada and impose King James III of Britain). Canada rejected all of their terms. By the 19th of May, the weather in the South Atlantic was starting to get worse. The War Cabinet in Ottawa was advised that they were out of time, and that they had to start landing troops soon, or it would be too late to liberate the Falklands. The War Cabinet extended the exclusion zone. In the North Atlantic, no British warship would be allowed west of 45 degrees west. The entire South Atlantic, outside Argentine territorial waters, was declared off limits to British and Argentine ships. Through Peru, Canada advised the British Caribbean colonies (British Honduras and British Guiana) that their ships must remain in port, and their aircraft must remain on the ground. A squadron of CF-104 Starfighters was moved to Jamaica in the Canadian Antilles to enforce the new exclusion zone. By this time, the Canadian amphibious/merchant group, led by the helicopter landing ship HMCS Vimy Ridge, had caught up with the naval group led by HMCS Bonaventure. The Canadians had chosen San Carlos Water for their amphibious operation. =Landing at San Carlos - Bomb Alley= On the 20th, the four Canadian Bay class minesweepers were taken into Falkland Sound, and floated off their transport ship. They began to sweep Falkland Sound from north to south, and back. They found nothing because the Argentines had mined Port Stanley Harbour only. On that night, the amphibious and merchant ships moved into San Carlos Water and prepared to land their troops. Late on the night of the 20th, the landing started. The Canadian marines and paratroopers came ashore in landing craft, Amtraks, and helicopters. A section of Argentine troops at Fanning Head fired on a Canadian CH-146 Twin Huey, and were promptly killed by a Canadian CH-146J SeaCobra. Anglo-Argentine command were informed about the landings shortly after the first troops came ashore. In Port Stanley, a dispute occurred between the British and Argentine commanders about the nature of the landings. General Menendez believed that the San Carlos landing was a feint, and that the real invasion would be closer to Port Stanley. The British Commander, Major General Henry Strong believed that San Carlos was the real invasion, and wanted to move troops to San Carlos by helicopter to "throw the Canucks into the sea". Menendez refused, and stuck to his original plan of a ring around Port Stanley. General Strong appealed to London, and was allowed to conduct an operation with British troops. The British had five Welkin and five Puma helicopters, just enough to three companies of troops. As they flew over the Falklands, they were spotted by Canadian Sea King AEW helicopters. The Canadian ground commander, Major General Kevin Thompson, asked that they be shot down. Admiral Moreau agreed, and a flight of CF-156 Wraith fighters were vectored on to them. Using guns and Sidewinders, they shot down four Welkins and three Pumas in a matter of seconds. The remainder turned back, and the Canadians let them go. The British Brigade had now effectively lost one of its battalions. Its second battalion was in Port Stanley guarding the town and airport and enforcing Fascist control. This left only one British battalion to actually defend Port Stanley against Canadian attack. Menendez was outraged by Strong's insubordination, and asked Buenos Aires to get the British to replace him. The British refused (but after the war, General Strong was executed for "falling into an obvious Canadian trap"). The attack on the British helicopter move convinced everyone that San Carlos in fact was the real attack. Category:Nazi Cold War series